North Olympic Discovery Marathon
North Olympic Discovery Marathon
( 12 reviews )-
Port Angeles,
Washington,
United States - June
- 3 miles/5K, 6 miles/10K, 13.1 miles/Half Marathon, 26.2 miles/Marathon, Relay
- Road Race
- Event Website
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Jeremy
Phoenix, Arizona, United StatesOverall
T-Shirts/SWAG
Aid Stations
Course Scenery
Expo Quality
Elevation Difficulty
Parking/Access
Race Management
When I travel for a race, I always look for one that is super scenic. If I'm going to run somewhere new, I want to see the sites and take in the views! The North Olympic Discovery Half-Marathon definitely didn't disappoint.
The race is in the small town of Port Angeles. We drove up from Seattle (taking our first ferry too!) and the views on the drive were amazing. It definitely helped get us excited for the event. The expo was small, but easy to access, parking was a breeze, and we were in and out in minutes.
The half-marathon is a point to point race, starting between Sequim and Port Angeles. At the start, the weather was about 58 degrees and cloudy, with a chilly wind. So we wore layers until the last minute. But as soon as we were ready to start, the sun came out and warmed things up to a perfect low 60's. And the sky was a brilliant blue!
The course takes you along the Olympic Discovery Trail (don't worry road runners--it's a paved trail). The views were incredible. Imagine running through the woods, the smell of wet leaves, trees all around, wooden bridges--all while on a paved path. It really was the perfect path for any road runner who loves the outdoors. There were some "rolling hills" but only brief inclines that quickly evened out.
There were plenty of aid stations along the way, and lots of friendly volunteers. One aid station even had a whole Pokemon theme with full sized cut-outs of characters and everything. Was a lot of fun.
The last five miles is a stretch along the shores of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, right along the water. It was amazing to be running with the breeze coming off the ocean and seeing ships in the distance. A whole different scene then what I'm used to running the desert! The race finishes up at the City Pier in downtown Port Angles. Lots of post-race food, music, massages, the works.
And last but not least--THE SWAG! OMG, the SWAG! The medal was simple but elegant and I really liked it. But the 1/4 zip is seriously my new favorite. It's a dark blue with bright green trim. And it's not a heavy 1/4 zip, but rather light weight and yeah.. it's even got thumbholes. I'll definitely be wearing this finisher's shirt around.
Whether it's swag or scenery that sways your decision, The North Olympic Discovery Marathon events has it all and I highly recommend it!